


no flame burns forever

by Suicix



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Internal Conflict, Introspection, Jealousy, M/M, Resentment, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 21:05:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7377328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suicix/pseuds/Suicix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Jack’s done his best to tell himself that he shouldn’t be jealous he isn’t in the Elimination Chamber match while Antonio is, but it’s… difficult, to say the least.</i>
</p>
<p>Set pre-Elimination Chamber 2014.</p>
            </blockquote>





	no flame burns forever

Jack’s done his best to tell himself that he shouldn’t be jealous he isn’t in the Elimination Chamber match while Antonio is, but it’s… difficult, to say the least. Sure, he’s got a match for the Intercontinental Championship, but that isn’t exactly the world title, is it? It isn’t the main event. He might have been in the match last year, might have _won_ it, but that’s all in the past now. It’s the kind of thing that occasionally gets brought up by commentary, not something that has any bearing on the present, not something that still means anything to anybody but Jack himself.

And now, Cesaro has that chance. He could very well win the world title – what’s now the _only_ world title. Jack shouldn’t feel resentful. He _knows_ he shouldn’t, and that Antonio deserves this, but he can’t help it. They’re a tag team, they should have equal opportunities. Maybe they did – they both had qualifying matches, after all – but it still doesn’t feel _fair_. Why aren’t they competing for the tag titles instead? They should be going into the pay-per-view as the team they’re supposed to be, not in singles matches.

Jack sighs, disgruntled. It’s not like he can talk to Zeb about it. He’s way too busy making sure that Antonio’s prepared, and besides, Jack let him down by not qualifying, too. And Zeb doesn’t _know_ about him and Antonio, not really – and he never can. If Jack were to take his problems to Zeb, it’d all come out. Even if he managed to keep those details to himself, Zeb would only yell at him, anyway. He’d be told to try harder, to look to Cesaro as a shining example of what Jack should be doing in the ring. Jack shakes his head, as if it’ll clear his mind of the thoughts. He should head to catering. Maybe food will help.

The closer he gets, the more the smell has him deciding that food will _definitely_ help. What he hadn’t counted on is Antonio being there, over on the other side of the room as Jack enters. Jack should go over and see him – they haven’t spoken much since they arrived at the arena this afternoon – but a part of him doesn’t want to. Even being alone with his thoughts would be better than the constant reminder that Antonio has this great opportunity that he hasn’t got, that he _lost_.

It’s just – it’s become difficult to be around him recently. Jack knows that that’s not right, and it does hurt. They’re _boyfriends_ , and even if nobody knows it, spending time together shouldn’t be hard, shouldn’t be something that Jack’s dreading. Especially when Antonio’s so clearly excited about the fact that he’s contending for the world title.

“Jack!” he exclaims, waving for Jack to join him. That’s it, then: Jack will have to face him, will have to face his own failure.

“Hey,” Jack says once he’s in front of Antonio, none of Antonio’s enthusiasm in his greeting.

“Are you all right? I’m so glad to get away from Zeb, for at least a few minutes. He’s been bombarding me with strategy and more strategy, and... well. Even more strategy. _He_ didn’t win the Elimination Chamber last year – _you_ did. Got any tips for me?”

Jack doesn’t answer immediately. He opens his mouth but can’t seem to speak, words – _what_ words, though? – frozen in his throat. He still doesn’t manage anything until Antonio raises his eyebrows at him as if he’s waiting for an answer.

“Oh, uh, I don’t know, really,” he says eventually, his voice weak. He sounds a lot more unsettled than he’d like. “I guess when you come into the match matters a lot, and if you try to isolate yourself from your opponents, or…”

“Are you OK, Jack?” Antonio interrupts, tone delicate as if he knows that no, Jack is most definitely _not_ OK, as much as he’s trying to be.

“I’m fine.” This time there’s no pause before Jack speaks. It comes out too quickly, like he has something to hide. “Totally fine! Great.”

“You sure? It seems like… something’s upsetting you. Nervous about your match?”

Jack nods, deciding that at least then, Toni will stop pushing it. He _is_ nervous, anyway. He doesn’t want to let the team down.

“I guess so. I mean, it’s a title opportunity. Who wouldn’t be at least a little nervous about it?”

“Right,” says Antonio, and he smiles. Jack returns the smile the best he can. “You’ll win that title,” Antonio tells him, and he squeezes Jack’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Jack says, trying his best to believe it. “And you’ll win yours. I – I really hope you do.”

Antonio smiles wider, totally genuine, and Jack wishes he actually meant that as much as he knows Toni did.


End file.
